{{short description|District of Malawi}} {{More citations needed|date=January 2021}} right|115px|Location of Rumphi District in Malawi {{History of the Tumbuka people sidebar}} '''Rumphi''' is a district in the Northern Region of Malawi. The capital is Rumphi. The district covers an area of 4,769 km.² and has a population of 128,360. Chitumbuka is the major and predominant language spoken in the district. The major ethnic group is the Tumbuka people, followed by its sub-group, the Phoka people.
==Geography== Rumphi District extends from Lake Malawi in the east to the Zambian border in the west. The northern end of the Mzimba Plain extends into the eastern portion of the district. Most of the district is drained by the South Rukuru River and its tributaries. The Viphya Mountains extend into the southeastern portion of the district, and much of central portion of the district lies on the Nyika Plateau.
Vwaza Marsh Wildlife Reserve covers the western end of the district, and Nyika National Park covers much of the center.
Rumphi is the district capital. Other towns include Chilumba, Chitango, Chiweta, Phoka and Livingstonia.
==Demographics== At the time of the 2018 Census of Malawi, the distribution of the population of Rumphi District by ethnic group was as follows:<ref>[http://www.nsomalawi.mw/images/stories/data_on_line/demography/census_2018/2018%20Malawi%20Population%20and%20Housing%20Census%20Main%20Report.pdf 2018 Malawi Population and Housing Census Main Report]</ref> * 96.2% Tumbuka * 2.0% Chewa * 1.2% Ngoni * 0.8% Nkhonde * 0.8% Tonga * 0.8% Lambya * 0.5% Lomwe * 0.9% Yao * 0.3% Sukwa * 0.1% Mang'anja * 0.1% Sena * 0.1% Nyanja * 0.5% Others
==Government and administrative divisions==
There are three National Assembly constituencies in Rumphi:
* Rumphi - East * Rumphi - North * Rumphi - West
Since the 2009 election all of these constituencies have been held by members of an independent party.<ref>[http://www.parliament.gov.mw/mps.php?mode=wd&dis=Rumphi Parliament of Malawi - Members of Parliament - Rumphi District]</ref>
==Notable people== <!-- ONLY ADD PEOPLE HERE IF THEY ALREADY HAVE A WIKIPEDIA ARTICLE --> Notable residents include: *Tamwa Chaŵinga was born here in 1998. She and her twin sister play for the Malawian national football team.<ref name=abuse>{{Cite news |last=Pensulo |first=Charles |date=2021-08-06 |title=‘A violation’: football star recounts having to strip during match to prove she was female |url=https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2021/aug/06/violation-of-dignity-football-star-had-to-strip-publicly-to-prove-she-was-female |access-date=2025-02-19 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> *Edgar Chibaka, founder and managing editor of the ''Nyasa Times'', one of Malawi's top online and print newspapers *Chakufwa Chihana 'the father of Malawian Democracy', founder of AFORD *Moses Chirambo, ophthalmologist, entrepreneur, and politician *Queen Gondwe, was the MP for Rumphi Central who became a cabinet Minister<ref>{{Cite web |date=2012-08-20 |title=Ex-ministers Queen Gondwe, Kaphuka join PP |url=https://www.nyasatimes.com/ex-ministers-queen-gondwe-kaphuka-join-pp/ |access-date=2026-03-07 |website=www.nyasatimes.com |language=en-GB}}</ref> *Kamlepo Kalua, president of an opposition party *Mwiza Munthali, talk show host and activist *Dindi Gowa Nyasulu, Malawian engineer and former president of AFORD *Kenneth Thindwa, pharmacist, entrepreneur and politician *Robert Ng'ambi, soccer player
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Regions and districts of Malawi}} {{Coord|10|45|S|33|50|E|region:MW_type:adm1st|display=title}}
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Category:Districts of Malawi Category:Districts in the Northern Region, Malawi
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